Saints of Lesvos
Raphael, Nicholas & Irene

The First Tuesday after Pascha
Troparion
Having contended on Lesvos for the sake of Christ God, you have sanctified the island since the discovery of your sacred relics, O blessed ones; for what reason we honour you, O God-bearing Raphael, together with Nicholas and virgin Irene, as our divine protectors and intercessors with the Lord.

St. Raphael was Abbott of the monastery of Karyes on the island of Lesvos, also known as Mitylene. St. Nicholas was a Deacon and St. Irene was the 12 year old virgin daughter of the mayor of Thermi, the nearby village. They were cruelly tortured by the Turks on April 9, 1463, just 10 years after the fall of Constantinople. They were unknown until 1959 when they started appearing to people on the island in visions and dreams. They told of their tortures and guided the people to excavate their graves. St. Raphael called the scene a "second Golgotha". He suffered various tortures until he was killed by having his head sawn off. The Deacon Nicholas died of heart failure while being tortured. St. Irene was baked in a clay cask, where her charred bones were found 500 years later. She had been tortured in front of her father, who was also killed. The village teacher was present and they cut his head off and placed it between his legs when they buried him. Since the discovery of these Saints, many miraculous cures have occurred through their relics.

This Icon is by the hand of Nicholas Papas and is from St. Mary's Orthodox Church, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

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